Melody's Dream
by odieotie
Summary: River has been having nightmares about that cold night when her first regeneration took place. The night terrors used to only happen once in a while, but are now more frequent and painful. When a date with the Doctor goes interrupted by someone unexpected, things start to get weird. Rated T for sensuality and anything else. Yay covering bases!
1. Just for the Dancing

******Authors Note: Hey y'all! First chapter of my first River/Doctor fic! I'll keep it short and simple. This is a rough draft so please forgive typos/grammar stuff. I don't own Doctor Who (wish I did) review if you feel so inclined. I love feedback! More coming soon hopefully :) (I'll try to shorten the chapters up ;) PEACE, LOVE, ALLONS-Y!**

******Chapter One: Just for the Dancing  
**

"Sleep is my lover now, my forgetting, my opiate, my oblivion." –_The Time Traveller's Wife_

_The pain was so great. So vast. Like a never ending chasm, slowly sucking her in, and with every breath she forgot a little more what it felt like before this. What it felt like to laugh. To smile. To breath. Now there was nothing but agony._

_ Melody Pond stumbled out in to the plain sight of the alley. There was a man there. He was saying something._

_ "Are you okay?" Melody just coughed in response. She knew it was time. She could feel it. This body was dying. With a final reassurance to the man, she could feel her body changing. Looking down at her hands in awe, she smiled. They were golden. So pretty._

_ Melody let the force of the regeneration consume her. Throwing her head back and her arms open to the world, she felt the full power of her Timelord DNA. Just a couple of more seconds. That was all she needed. Then, she would be new again._

River opened her eyes to the darkness of her cell. How she hated that nightmare. The pain of regeneration. She used to never dream of that fateful night. She had even forgotten how it had felt for a while. But more and more frequently it came back to haunt her in her sleep.

She sat up and turned her head to make a startling discovery. The TARDIS was parked outside of her cell. She smiled to herself as she got up from her cot and walked over to the end of her cell, bare feet padding softly on the cold floor. Her fingers curled around the cool bars that imprisoned her.

"Hello, Sweetie."

The Doctor frantically wheeled around the TARDIS, flipping seemingly random switches and levers. He was on an all-time high. Just married, thought to be dead, no one looking for him. He hated to leave Amy and Rory out of the loop, but he had a feeling River wouldn't keep the secret for long. The joy on her face when she realized he was going to be okay made the bounce in his step come back. Now he had all of time and space to enjoy and no one to through him in to an impenetrable box or try to kill him. He could disappear.

The TARDIS suddenly jerked away from his intended path, a long-needed visit to the Face of Boe.

"Sexy! What are you doing?" he yelled, grabbing on to the nearest piece of sturdy equipment. In reply, the TARDIS just made its usual parking noise and landed.

Curiosity got the best of him, and he peeked out of the police box doors. Ah. He understood now. He was in Stormcage.

"Good girl," he whispered, rubbing the doorway of the newly polished TARDIS. River was lying on her cot, a look of pain on her usually confident face. How he hated to sit there and not be able to comfort her, but he knew it was best not to wake her. So instead, he closed the door to the TARDIS and ran to his room to grab his matching diary. He knew they would have to compare notes first. Make sure timelines didn't get messed up and secrets revealed. By the time he got back to the door he had already heard her call out with her usual greeting. Straightening his bow tie and taking one last check of his breath, he opened the door.

"Well hello there, River," he smiled, trying not to act as nervous as he felt whenever he was around her. "Care to join me?"

"Where are you?" he asked, thumbing through his diary. They were both lying on their stomachs on the floor of the TARDIS, propped up on their elbows.

"I just got back from Demon's Run. We've done Demon's Run, right?" River asked, looking hopefully in to the Doctor's eyes. He knew that she hated it when he didn't know who she was. He couldn't blame her.

"Yes, my dear River. I know who you are," he whispered, caressing the side of her cheek as he spoke. She smiled weakly at him, and he could see the vulnerability in her eyes she tried to hide so much. It was a rare moment when it happened. Usually she was so headstrong, so sure of herself. But he reminded himself of everything she had gone through. There were times when she had to let the walls down.

"So where are you then?" she asked, flipping through her own diary. The moment was gone, her confidence restored.

"April 22nd, 2011 at 5:02 in the evening," he replied, smiling at her. This was his first time seeing her since they were married. Well first time actually being him and seeing her. At the wedding he had technically been inside a Tesselecta.

River almost looked shocked. Concern flashed across the Doctor's face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, pushing himself up so that he sat on the floor, legs criss-crossed. River slowly brought herself to a mirroring position, shaking her head and making those glorious curls bounce.

"It's just- I thought-" her walls were down again. Tears brimmed at the edge of her eyelids, and she looked down, avoiding eye contact. She was acting so unlike her normal self that the Doctor found himself worried about her more than he ever had been.

Shushing her, he gently pulled her towards him, turning her around so his arms were wrapped around her shoulders, her back resting against his chest. He gently kissed the top of her golden curls and held her tighter to him. She nestled into the crook under his neck.

"I thought we were destined to always travel in different directions. Ever since our wedding- you haven't known we're husband and wife. And I was afraid-" her voice broke again, and he squeezed her again, gently rocking her back and forth. He laid his head on her own, truly happy to be with her. No one to put an act up for, no Amy or Rory to be overprotective parents, just the Doctor and River.

"I was afraid," she continued, clearing her throat, "that you weren't going to know who I was from now on. That I would just be River Song. That Melody Pond wouldn't exist to you. She's a part of me just as much as these great curls." He heard a hint of a smile in her voice at her last comment, and felt her arm come up to flounce her hair. He smiled as he twirled some of the lovely locks on his finger.

"Wait, so you haven't seen me since our wedding date?" The Doctor asked, suddenly springing to life. He sprung off the floor, pulling River up with him and setting her down lightly in front of him so that they were facing each other. This time, it was River's turn to wear the expression of confusion on her face. He started racing around the TARDIS in his usual manner, scratching his hair in between lever pulling and knob turning.

"No, that's what I just said…" River trailed off, following after her husband, flipping the occasional switch to correct his mistakes. "You know, you really ought to learn how to fly this thing," she stated, returning once again to her usual spunky mood.

"There's my River again!" he exclaimed, poking her nose as he so liked to do. "And her name is Sexy. Or TARDIS…Depending on your….mood," the Doctor slowed his speech as he turned around to see River standing right behind him, a smirk on her face. It reminded him of being in a certain Fuhrer's office while the man was locked in a cabinet, a feisty River-or Mels he guessed at that point- already flirting with him. While trying to kill him. He thought the woman in front of him might be considering the same.

"So _she's_ the sexy one, eh?" River asked, bringing her face closer to the Doctor's so only a few inches separated their mouths. Her mouth. He found himself focusing on those lips. Trying to muster the courage he should have with the woman he was wed to. He started to lean in to give his wife a passionate kiss when she wheeled on her heel and walked over to the police box doors, leaving him with empty air. He fumbled his hands, trying not to look disappointed. My did she like playing games.

"So where are we?" she asked, opening both of the doors in a grand gesture. The sight in front of her left her momentarily speechless.

"The Medusa Cascade," the Doctor whispered in to her ear, seemingly appearing from nowhere. "Great view, quite stunning, not the best place to go into. Once upon a time it was in the center of a plot for the Daleks to rule the universe. But absolutely beautiful," he smiled, letting the view dazzle his own eyes.

"And why are we here, exactly?" River asked, turning to face her Doctor. Mischief gleamed in those dark brown eyes. She found it exciting and disconcerting at the same time. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Because," he explained, never letting his beaming smile leave, "we haven't had our wedding reception. Or honeymoon." River furrowed her eyebrows. Was her Doctor attempting to imply a certain bedroom desire? The thought made her laugh. He must have realized his comment made it sound like he just wanted to get her into bed, because his eyes widened.

"Mainly worried about not having a wedding reception though," he quickly corrected himself, backing up the stairs as River looked at him with a new gleam in her eye. He looked around frantically as he backed up against the TARDIS console. River had him cornered, full of the fire that had been missing just moments ago.

"Because, as you know, I only go to weddings for the dancing," the Doctor smirked, flipping a switch on the console. 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' blasted throughout the whole of the TARDIS.

"Oh, I hate you," River whispered, narrowing her eyes.

"No you don't," he replied, gently tugging on her wrists and pulling her away from the console. He began to dance sporadically, leading her in a dance that she could only guess the millennia it was from, let alone the galaxy. Her steely reserve didn't last for long however, and she soon found herself laughing as he twirled her around and made strange giraffe-like movements.

An unknown length of time passed with the couple dancing; as soon as River seemed to master a type of dance, the Doctor would change to a new style completely. Never did they tire, their two hearts giving them great stamina. After some time, the TARDIS changed the mood, the music slowing. River found herself slowly swaying in the Doctor's arms, an Earth song from the 21st century echoing throughout the spaceship.

"What is this song called?" River asked, looking up from the Doctor's shoulder and into his eyes. Those eyes. So full of happiness yet so sad and lonely.

''A Thousand Years' I do believe," the Doctor replied, giving her a half smile. "How fitting?" His eyes shined with the irony. He gave a small laugh, glancing away for a second before returning her gaze. They became suddenly silent, just gazing into each other's eyes. The Child of the TARDIS and the Timelord.

Before either knew it, their lips were touching. At first it started out just as a reassurance that the other was there, but soon their lips became hungry, needing more and more of each other. His hand creeped to the small of her back, while her hands ran through his hair. Her hands slowly made their way to his chest, and then started to fiddle with his bowtie.

"River…" the Doctor gasped as he came up for breath.

"Yes, sweetie?" she asked before kissing the Doctor again. He pulled back for a second and was about to say something, but he was interrupted by a thud on the top of the TARDIS. They both looked up, wondering what the noise from.

"I thought I put the shields up though…" the Doctor trailed off as they raced to the still open TARDIS doors. River grasped the Doctor's hand.

"Hello," a cheery voice came from the top of the TARDIS. A head peered down at the two and smiled at them. "Ah look, the happy couple! Now, where shall we begin?"

The Doctor and River stared agape as the raggedy man smiled at them, complete with bowtie and all. Suspenders held unseen pants up. A sonic screwdriver whizzed.

"Doctor?"


	2. Enough with the Headbanging

**Author's Note: Hi again!**

**VERY IMPORTANT READ THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO READ AUTHOR'S NOTES BECAUSE I KNOW THEY CAN GET BORING AND LONG! Italics (**_as such_**) in this chapter indicate a flashback for Eleven (the new one)**

**It's gonna get a bit wibbly wobbly (also maybe with the typos. I'm not the perfect editor I confess)**

**Rate, review, comment, etc. if you find yourself so inclined. It would be awesome :)**

**I still haven't been able to snatch those Doctor Who rights. Darn it!**

**Peace, Love, Allons-y!**

**Chapter Two: Enough with the Headbanging**

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." _–Dr. Seuss_

"Hello Sweetie," smiled River, not missing a beat to flirt with a second version of her husband. The one standing next to her gaped at her and then back at the mirror image of himself. River realized that they weren't perfect matches of each other, the one climbing down from the roof of the TARDIS had slightly shorter hair. She resolved in her mind to call the one standing at her side Doctor One, and the other Doctor Two. He had shown up second after all.

"You can't be here. Holes in the universe, remember?" Doctor One hissed to Doctor Two, who was standing in the doorway to the TARDIS. Two was emanating energy, not seeming to mind what he had just told himself about the dangers of crossing timelines.

"There are bigger things that we have to worry about, my friend," Two replied, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he closed the view to the Medusa Cascade. "Much bigger things," he whispered under his breath, walking towards the console. He gave a quick glance back at the two confused faces.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting…anything…" he trailed off before returning to focus on the TARDIS. River noticed that One's face was a shade pinker than it normally was, and laughed at her husband.

"Where are you, in all of this?" One asked Two, still glaring at him.

"I thought you would be happy to see me! Last time there were two of us, we got along quite well I thought!" Two seemed to be done with his tinkering and was looking at the TARDIS monitor. "Ah, and I just came back from giving River her diary. Sorry about ditching you," he spoke to River, serious for once. "But there were some…things to attend to. Specifically this!" he clapped his hands together and rubbed them, his magnificent plot he no doubt had in store about to be explained.

"What's so important you had us cross paths?" One inquired, still growling.

"Hush up and let yourself talk, sweetie!" River exclaimed. She had always wondered why she had been left alone at the hospital. Why she hadn't woken up with the Doctor and her parents by her side. All she had been left was her diary, no note, no nothing. Maybe today she would get the answers.

"Right! Well it started shortly after you healed me, River, which was stupid. You shouldn't have done that," he still didn't stop bothering her about it, after all this time.

"Well neither of you would be here if you hadn't, so I guess you'll just have to survive with it," River huffed, rolling her eyes in frustration.

"Anyway," Two continued, switching the subject, "it got me thinking. What you did…" Two trailed off, realizing explaining would be too difficult. He walked up to One, intent on what he was about to do.

"No way! We said we weren't doing that after Craig! It hurts!" River chuckled at One as he backed up against the TARDIS doors.

"Just one more time. It won't be that bad. We're both Timelords after all," Two smiled, grabbing the back of One's neck. One looked around nervously, not wanting to look his younger self in the eye. With that, Two pulled One's head to his own, and transmitted his selected memories.

"You too River," he said, wheeling around as One's face contorted in to one of pain and he started to double over.

"Oh no, you're not head-banging me, sir, no way," River muttered under her breath, backing up the stairs.

"It's important," was all he replied with. River heard the seriousness in his voice, his playfulness completely gone. With a glare at him, she walked forward until they were inches apart.

"I hate you," she sneered, shaking her curls again, although she knew it was important they do this. If the Doctor crossed his own timeline in order to tell them something, it had to be vital.

"No you don't," he smirked, smashing their skulls together.

_ "Something's not right, something's out of place," the Doctor muttered to himself, pacing back and forth in front of the TARDIS console. No amount of head scratching or finger twiddling seemed to allow him to figure out what was wrong. He leaned on the console, kicking his legs off of the ground so all of his weight was in his hands. Hands. He recalled River's hands, glowing with regeneration energy as she healed him._

_ "That's it!" he exclaimed, running to the other side of the console where the monitor was, grabbing it to wheel himself around to face it._

_ "She's had two regenerations so far, what, Melody to Mels and then Mels to River," he whispered to himself pressing various buttons to scan himself._

_ "But if she used up nine regenerations to save me," he whispered as the scan was completed, racing to the TARDIS doors and out to the infirmary where a sleeping River was laying peacefully on a hospital cot. "Then why does she not have one left over?" he asked as he looked at the results from his scanning of her newly regenerated body._

_ "But that has to mean," he whispered in awe, looking at how peacefully the woman slept. "That couldn't happen, could it?" At this point he was furiously rubbing his hair, urging his brain to think faster. "Unless…" he trailed off, looking out of the TARDIS doors one last time._

_ "You genius woman, you," he whispered before closing the two wooden doors and racing off to his next destination._

River and Doctor One sat on the ground, rubbing their heads with the palms of their hands.

"Who came up with the idea that the best way to transfer knowledge is through practically cracking your skull open against someone else's?" River moaned, giving a contemptuous glare at Two. He smiled back sheepishly and shrugged.

"But that means," One gasped out, obviously still shocked by the memory he had just been shown.

"I know," Two replied, his mischievous grin showing up once more. He walked over to River and helped her to her feet. He flicked her nose with the tip of his finger.

"You, my River, are amazing," he smiled, looking at her as if she was one of the aliens he became fascinated with on such a regular basis.

"But that's not possible," she protested, still in shock from what she had seen. "I've only regenerated twice! Melody to Mels to River, just like you said!"

"You only _think_ you've regenerated twice," Two replied, still beaming at her. His hands were rubbing together, a sign he was getting quite excited about everything that was happening.

"I think I would remember how many times I've regenerated," River huffed, crossing her arms.

"And why don't I remember any of this?" One asked, speaking up. "Not any of it! I left right after I gave River the journal! I never came to visit future me! This isn't possible!"

"Ah, and this is where is starts to get complicated," Two replied, a devilish grin spreading over his features. "Don't you just love it?"


	3. The Truth in Nightmares

**Authors Note: Hullo!**

**After this chapter updates might not come as frequently.**

**Unfortunately not every day is a weekend and there's this horrible thing called overloading amounts of homework that happens at my school.**

**I promise to write as much as possible, as soon as possible though! I currently have around 12 more chapters planned out, give or take.**

**I don't own Doctor Who!**

**Grammar or typo issues may ensue.**

**Reviews etc. are always GREATLY appreciated if you feel so inclined. They make me smile, thanks for all you've given so far **

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Three: The Truth in Nightmares**

"Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?" –_John Lennon_

Doctor Two flipped a switch that sent the TARDIS flying through time and space. River and One grabbed on to opposing railings and then gave each other questioning glances.

"Doctor?" River asked, looking now to the man operating the console.

"Hey, I'm the Doctor too!" One exclaimed, looking hurt. River shot him one of her death glares, which quickly shut him up.

"Yes, Sweetie?" he asked, whirling around the console in his usual dance with the TARDIS. River rolled her eyes as she made her way up to join him. One shot himself his own death glare.

"Jesus, is it really that hard for you to look at a manual for once? Both of you!" River exclaimed as she flipped a switch that Two had pushed up too far while simultaneously kicking a knob with her foot.

"What's the point in manuals?" they asked simultaneously, quickly eyeing each other after the statement was made.

"If you boys are going to start flirting with yourselves, wait until we land, huh?" River asked as she realized this could quickly turn into a similar situation her mother had described to her. Two Doctors. It seemed to happen more often than it should.

"Anyway, Younger Doctor," River continued, getting a protest from One that she quickly silenced with another glare. "How did you get yourself on the TARDIS in the first place?"

"Well, if you must know," Two explained, the smirk returning to his face._ Oh, he thinks he's so clever_, River thought to herself. "I might have…borrowed this and then parked my TARDIS, well, as close to this one as possible without creating a…time paradox…" Two gulped nervously as River slowly walked over to him, his hand waving a black bracelet. She grabbed his bowtie, focusing on the dark maroon color.

"Now, sweetie," she started in a slow, sultry, yet dangerous voice, "you didn't take my _favorite_ vortex manipulator from me while I was sleeping, now did you? I was hoping you wouldn't figure out I had that hidden for a very, very long time. I guess now I know why that went missing. I had always assumed the nurse had confiscated it." River pulled the bowtie closer to herself, a Siren pulling a sailor into the water. She saw One fiddling with his hands in the corner of her eye, not sure whether to feel uncomfortable or amused. She gave out a low throaty laugh and leaned in so her lips were next to Two's ear.

"You know what happens to men who take my things?" she asked, slowly bringing her hands down Two's chest. He gave out a noise that was halfway between a yelp and a grumble of pleasure.

"River," warned One, eliciting the response River had been hoping for. She smirked.

"Bad boys," she whispered, almost purring. "Get locked up."

River pulled back suddenly, laughing as Two realized she had handcuffed him to the console. She twirled around and ran to One, jumping to his side.

"River!" Two yelled, struggling against the cuffs. "Handcuffs? Really? Must it always come down to this? Where- Where are you two going?" he yelled as River grabbed One's hand and pulled him toward the TARDIS doors.

"Spoilers," River whispered before dragging a laughing Doctor through the TARDIS doors.

"Where are we?" the Doctor asked, locking up the TARDIS doors with a still-protesting Timelord inside. They stood in a dark alley, cold surrounding them.

River stopped in her tracks, realization lighting up her eyes. The Doctor stopped in his tracks, realizing the growing horror on her face. "River, what's wrong?"

"I know this place," she whispered, looking around the alley, panic making her movements frantic.

"Hey, hey, listen to me," the Doctor whispered, grabbing River's shoulders and looking at her until she met her eyes. "It's going to be okay. Just relax," the Doctor whispered, cupping her chin with his fingers. "It's going to be okay. I promise."

"The dumpster. We need to hide behind the dumpster before timelines get even more difficult," River whispered, mustering all of the confidence she could. The two quickly shuffled behind a rather vile smelling bin.

"River," he whispered into her ear, both peering out of the darkness. "Where are we?"

"The place of my nightmares," she replied, looking out over the all too familiar scene. "This is where my first regeneration took place."


	4. Fifty Shades of Gold

**Author's Note: Yay Chapter 4! I SWEAR THE CHAPTER TITLE DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF SMUT. I HAVE A PANTS RULE. PANTS STAY ON.**

**Sorry it took so long to write, school has resumed and this chapter is when stuff gets complicated.**

**I know my interpretation of River in this chapter isn't how she normally acts, but my goal was to show how difficult and harrowing the experience of regeneration is. I really wanted to delve into that.**

**Still haven't gotten those rights for Doctor Who yet…**

**I'm sorry for any typos or bad grammar.**

**I hope you enjoy! Feel free to review if you're so compelled!**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Four: Fifty Shades of Gold**

"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." –_Edgar Allen Poe_

Just then a rustling sound was heard from the other side of the street. A young girl emerged from the piles of garbage and filth strewn about. Her clothes were tattered, and it looked as if her face hadn't been washed recently. The most concerning thing, however, was how she was acting. Her arms feebly wrapped around her own stomach, and it looked as if every step brought on new pain.

River covered her mouth, an unwarranted yelp of pain emerging from her throat. The Doctor looked from River to the young girl. They were one and the same.

"Melody Pond," he dared to whisper as he looked at the fragile child, full of pain, knowing a regeneration was just around the corner. He then took a side glance at the woman standing next to him, so strong and brave, so ready to take on the world. He gently took one of River's hands in both of his own and brushed his lips against the back of it. Having to remember the pain of regeneration was bad enough; being forced to watch it must be a nightmare. She was so strong.

A man emerged from the other side of the alley. He stumbled upon the young Melody, immediately becoming concerned with the child's welfare.

"This is it," River whispered, horror in her voice. The Doctor squeezed her hand, the only comfort he could try to give her. The only way he could tell her he was there for her. To his surprise, she returned the squeeze.

"Um, River, I know this is hard for you and all, but, uh, you see, my hand. The bones in my hand. They- they hurt," the Doctor tried to explain, fidgeting in pain and discomfort.

"Shut up, you idiot, I'm trying not to run out there and comfort myself. We don't want a paradox on our hands," River hissed, still staring at the little girl's pained face. Despite her harsh words, she slightly relaxed her hand, much to the Doctor's relief.

"Oh God, it's starting," she whispered, a new type of terror gripping her heart this time. Finally able to tear her eyes away from the young Pond, she looked instead to the Doctor. "It hurts so much," she whispered.

"I know," he whispered back, gathering her in his arms and shielding her eyes from the girl with the glowing hands. And he did know. He was the only one in the universe who did. The Last Timelord. An eruption of light came from the alley, Melody finally releasing all of her regeneration energy. River clung to her Doctor, not daring to look. The two stood there, comforted by the fact that they were not alone, as the girl let out her final burst of gold. The regeneration complete, her new body was finally revealed.

"River…" the Doctor trailed off, obviously concerned about something.

"What is it?" she asked, looking up at the Doctor.

"She's not…she's not Mels," he whispered, a look of awe on his face. River slowly turned around, thoughts of denial in her head.

"That's not possible, Doctor! I was here! That's me! I remember! I regenerated into the toddler…Mels…" River trailed off, staring out at the alley. Instead of the expected black bubbling toddler she thought she would see, River was looking at a young teenage girl. Her skin was practically alabaster white, and her light blonde hair fell to halfway down her back in loose curls. A gleam of adventure was in her eyes despite the threatening feel of the alley.

"That can't be…" River whispered, shock filling every inch of her body. How was this girl standing in front of her, a total stranger, a different version of herself? How could she forget something like that? _Why_ would she forget something like that?

"She has your hair," the Doctor almost laughed, a smile spreading across his face.

"This isn't funny!" River whispered, elbowing the Doctor in the ribs. He cringed, immediately dropping his smile. Meanwhile, the girl had turned in a complete circle, evaluating her surroundings, and proceeded to run out of the alley. An adventurous smile lit up her eyes.

"Oh she is _so_ you," the Doctor gasped, still recovering from River's blow to his chest. River just shook her head in disbelief. She opened her mouth to say something, but at that exact moment a noise made her freeze in her tracks.

"Why do you always leave the parking brake on?" she demanded, quickly getting over the fact that a second blue box was quickly blinking into existence at the back of the alley.

"More importantly," the Doctor whispered. "Why is there another TARDIS?"

The box had completely materialized, and the wooden doors were flung open. A tall, skinny man in a trench coat was dragging something heavy out of the TARDIS doors. He spoke to himself in murmurs, just inaudible to the shocked couple.

"Doctor?" River asked, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Is that you from a past regeneration?" She quickly eyed the younger Timelord, taking in all of his features.

"Maybe, but that's not the big question," he replied, refusing to acknowledge River's obvious amusement at his younger self. No, instead he was staring at what his younger self was dragging across the cobblestones. It was not a piece of machinery or a large sack of potatoes from a different galaxy. No, instead he was hauling the body of a young woman. Her skin was a deathly shade of white, and large infected gashes covered her arms and legs. Her eyes were vacant, staring off into nothingness. Dark, sticky blood painted her platinum blonde curls.

River's eyes widened in horror one more time as she realized _who_ the Doctor was carrying. He was only a few feet away from them now, and his muttering could finally be detected by the two time travelers hidden in the shadows.

"Just hang in there, Melly, you're going to make it. You're going to be just fine…"


	5. Allergies and Ailments

**Author's Note:**

**Hiya all!**

**Sorry for taking so long to upload. Life happened :P**

**Just to clarify, Ten refers to David Tennant's Doctor, whereas Eleven refers to Matt Smith's.**

**Rough draft so grammar and typo issues might occur.**

**I'm wishing I had the rights to Doctor Who…but I don't**

**I hope you like this chapter, I'll try to get the next one up ASAP **

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y 3**

**Chapter Five: Allergies and Ailments**

The Doctor standing next to River lurched forward, desperate to help out the younger version of his wife. River grabbed on to his arm, holding him back.

"Doctor, you can't—" River tried to whisper, but her voice carried more than she had expected.

"Hello?" the man in the alley called, whirling around, trying to find the source of the voice. River cursed under her breath.

"Hello? Is someone there? How do you know my name? I recognize that voice from somewhere. Who are you?" he asked, raking his hands through his hair. There was a look of desperation in his eyes. "Look, it doesn't matter. Just help me. This girl, Melly, she's hurt. I have to be here for a reason!" River was shocked at how concerned the Doctor was about her younger self.

"I just _had_ to go with the name Melly, didn't I?" she muttered. Her Doctor gave her a devilish grin, which earned him another elbow in the gut. "Shut up," she whispered, and with that she stepped out into view.

"Hello Sweetie," she greeted the younger Doctor, his back currently facing her. He spun around, eyes wide.

"River," he whispered, gaping at the woman in front of him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, surprised at his reaction. The Doctor always greeted her with a goofy grin or playful banter, even when he wasn't too happy about her means of contacting him. "You look as if you've seen a ghost!"

"I…just…" the Doctor fumbled, searching for an explanation for why she really _was_ a ghost to him. The last time he had seen her was in the Library. He had known this day would come, the day when he met a younger River, but he had never expected it so soon.

"Never mind that, what's wrong with her?" River asked, kneeling next to the frail girl. She was just about to check for a pulse when Eleven raced out of his hiding spot and in to the alley.

"River no!" he yelled, grabbing her and pulling her away from the girl. "You can't. Touch her," he scolded, eyes going dark.

"And why not?" Ten asked, getting in Eleven's face.

"She has a…very contagious disease. Touching someone with so many open wounds could be _fatal_ to the girl," Eleven explained, trying to convey to River the importance that she not touch her younger self. This encounter was enough of a time paradox, they didn't need to make it more dangerous.

"Can you then?" Ten asked, reaching out to Eleven. He quickly pulled his arms back, putting them up in a fashion similar to a surrender.

"I'm allergic to skinny people," he snapped, walking over to Melly's body. "But yes, I can take a look," he replied, kneeling down and checking her pulse.

"There's nothing to 'take a look at' she's just – dying! I should have gone to Apalapucia, not here!" Ten exclaimed, staring daggers into Eleven.

"Toss me your stethoscope!" was Eleven's only reply as he smoothed the matted curls away from the girl's face.

"It's my stethoscope! Hold on, how do you even know I have a stethoscope?" Ten demanded, obviously angry that this mysterious person was taking the reins. The Doctor wasn't used to not being in control. River found herself smirking despite herself.

"Listen to me, Doctor, I know how to help this girl, but I _need_ the stethoscope. I'll answer your questions later, but for now, time is precious. We can't be wasting it over a power battle!" Eleven yelled, rage exploding from within. "We're on the same side here. She's the only thing that matters right now," he whispered to himself, returning his attention to Melly. Ten wordlessly tossed his stethoscope to the man in front of him, who immediately inserted the ear buds into each of Melly's ears, making sure to be gentle. The other side he thrust out to the silent River.

"Press this against your chest. Let her hear your heartbeat. Just don't touch her!" River reached out hesitantly and put the cold metal circle against the middle of her chest, directly in between her two hearts.

Everyone was silent. Adrenaline pumped through veins, magnifying the sound of each inhale and exhale. No one dared to move. They all stared at Melly, hope in their eyes, but with each heartbeat, River felt herself lose an ounce more of hope._ Come on foolish girl_, she thought to herself. _Wake up!_

Suddenly Melly took in a gasp of breath, contrasting the previous shallow ones. Eleven smiled, clapping his hands together.

"You did it River!" he exclaimed, beaming up at his wife. "You saved her."

Melly was glancing around frantically, confused by her surroundings. She looked in terror at the two new people near her side. Her eyes finally found Ten, and relief flooded her face.

"Doctor," she whispered hoarsely, struggling to sit up. He raced to her, falling to his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around her, holding her in his arms.

"Melly! Melly it's okay, you're okay. Everything's going to be alright," he whispered, tears threatening to overflow from his eyes and in to her hair. She gave out a feeble cough and weakly brought her own arms to embrace the man holding her. She closed her eyes, her expression one of content.

River and Eleven glanced at each other, a knowing smile on both of their faces. Eleven silently grabbed River's hand and enlaced her fingers in his own. He gave a motion with his head indicating they should go. With a nod, they turned their backs and started walking towards their TARDIS

"Oi!" yelled Ten, anger lacing his voice. River and Eleven quickly dropped their entwined hands and wheeled around sheepishly, acting like children caught stealing from the cookie jar before slinking into the darkness.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? You have some explaining to do."


	6. Memory Circle

**Author's Note: Hola!**

**I'm going to try and keep updating every day or two, but I'm also working on a series of one shots about Rory waiting with the Panorica, **_**2000**_**. Feel free to check it out! **

**Rough draft, please forgive any errors **

**Apparently I'm actually not an owner of Doctor Who. Shoot!**

**I hope you like it **** Feel free to review!**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y**

**Chapter Six: Memory Circle**

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." –_John Lennon_

"What do you mean, explaining?" Eleven asked, trying to avoid his former self's eye contact. "There's nothing to explain. We're just travelers. I see you've uh, met River before, she's a friend of mine, and we like to travel on occasion. As friends. Nothing to it." His tactics to skirt around the big questions just seemed to make Ten more curious however.

"Who are you?" he asked, squinting at the man with the bowtie.

"Just…a traveler. Tell him, River, won't you? A traveler," Eleven reiterated, trying to add credibility to his story.

"You're not…no!" Ten exclaimed, eyes widening in realization. Eleven shook his head. "You're- but- really? I look like that!?" Ten exclaimed, inspecting Eleven.

"Oi! I look great thank you very much! And I have a bowtie. Bowties are cool."

Ten shrugged. "Still not ginger, eh?"

"Unfortunately, no. Of course this is now a _very_ bad situation because you just had to be clever, didn't you? Or_ I_ did I guess…our time streams shouldn't be crossing. This is bad. Very bad," Eleven muttered, starting to pace.

"Never mind that, we'll fix it later. How did you do that? How did you save her?" Ten asked, suddenly looking at River in a new light. "What's so special about you, River?"

"Everything, Sweetie," she replied with a smirk.

"Well, other than that," Ten replied, squinting at the woman who continued to mystify him. River was seriously considering slapping his precious young face when Eleven started explaining.

"She's a…relative of this young Melly. Upon hearing her heartbeat, Melly's brain was forced to realize that she had to continue existing. One huge shot of the will to live. Isn't the mind fantastic?" Eleven beamed.

"You two are related?" Ten asked, looking between the two women. "That's brilliant! Sure does explain the hair!" Melly gave a hesitant smile at River, who managed to briefly lift one corner of her lips. They could go with the word related.

"However, Melly's body is still dying, which doesn't give us much time," Eleven explained, quickly turning his wrist to glance at his watch.

"Time for what?" River asked.

"A memory circle. These events are very mysterious. Which means the two of you," Eleven nodded at Ten and Melly, "are going to have to tell us what happened through your thoughts."

"How's that going to help?" Ten demanded, concern for Melly returning as he was told she was still dying. He ran over to her again and sat down next to her. Gently brushing the hair away from her face, he stroked her cheek. "You're going to be okay, got it? You're going to be more than okay. You're going to be brilliant, you hear?" Melly nodded. "Oh, you brave, brave girl," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

Eleven pulled River towards the two figures sitting on the ground, situating her between the two Doctors.

"Alright, now it's imperative that River not touch Melly, and I don't touch…me," he started to explain as he lowered to the ground. River did the same.

"You know how the memory circle works, yes?" he asked Ten.

"You do know you're asking yourself if you know how the memory circle works. Of course I know how the memory circle works!" Ten exclaimed, fury in his eyes. However, one glance at the now shivering Melly made his eyes soften. He gingerly took off his coat and placed it on her shoulders. "Let's just make this quick okay?"

"Everyone grab hands," Eleven commanded. The four interlaced their fingers with one another.

"Now, Melly and Doctor, try and remember everything that led to this encounter right here. Melly, start where you regenerated, Doctor start with what lead you to Melly. Try and leave out the boring bits." Ten and Melly had their eyes closed, concentrating on recalling all that had happened.

"Once you think you've remembered everything, put it all in one spot in your mind. This spot can be shared among all of us once you say the right word. A trigger word. Saying this word will result in the memories travelling through the whole circle, into everyone's mind. Got it?" Melly and Ten looked into each other's eyes. Mischievous grins lit up their faces. With a nod, they both give out a joyful cry.

"ALLONS-Y!"


	7. Introductions

**Author's Note: Alright the next couple (or a lot) of chapters are going to be flashbacks. I'll indicate if it's from Melly's memories or Ten's.**

**Kind of a short chapter.**

**I don't own Doctor Who.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter **

**Feel free to leave reviews, and as always,**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Seven: Introductions**

"I find out a lot about myself by sleeping. Dreams, they are who I am when I'm too tired to be me." -_This Book is Not for Sale_

_**Melly**_

She appeared with a start, feeling a bit like she had just sneezed. Looking around the alley, it was suddenly full of opportunity, full of potential. She smiled as she turned in a circle, taking in every detail. She had changed. No longer was she full of the constant fear, no longer was she trapped in that horrid spacesuit. Once she had found her exit, she ran off into the street.

People walked casually on the streets, oblivious to the marvels of the world around them. She got a couple of stares, and suddenly realized she had no clue what she looked like herself. She jogged down the foreign street until she came across a store window.

Staring back at herself was a young woman, most likely in her late teens. Light blonde hair fell in curls down to the middle of her back. Her skin was even paler than it was in her past regeneration, if that was possible. Hazel eyes glanced over her reflection. Her clothes, that of a child, were too small for her new body. The jacket that once covered her arms now barely reached past her elbows. The hem of her dress was at the level of her knees. She found herself shrugging in an attempt to ward off the cold she noticed for the first time.

Suddenly she felt herself falling as something ran into her. Or rather, _someone_. Hands reached out to grab her before she hit the cement, and pulled her up. The whole thing had been so fast she hadn't even had a chance to be afraid.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Hello!" A man with strange brown hair and huge chocolate eyes smiled at her. She found herself smiling back at him. He awkwardly let go of her forearms, which he had been clutching to support her. He reached out his hand as a peace offering.

"I'm the Doctor. And you are?" Confusion fell across the girl's face. Memories skirted at the edge of her brain, facts about this man she had never met before. She pushed them away, however, and took his hand.

"Melly," she replied. She hadn't really thought about it, it just came out of her mouth. It was nice to have a new face with a new body though. She smiled. "Nice to meet you."


	8. One More Time

**Author's Note: Another rather short chapter. I hope you guys are liking this, I've been trying to update as much as possible.**

**Don't own Doctor Who :(**

**Rough draft so don't kill me for any grammar mistakes.**

**Reviews and comments welcome as always.**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Eight: One More Time**

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." –_Eleanor Roosevelt_

_**Ten**_

The Doctor was sprawled on the floor of the TARDIS, fingers clasped behind his head in a reclining position. At first glance, one would assume he was thoroughly enjoying his lackadaisical morning, but inside his head conflict was brewing like an ever-darkening storm.

"I suppose," he verbalized, gazing around at his most-beloved ship. She was so beautiful.

"Nah," he answered his own sentence before he could even complete it. "Besides, what's one day in 900 years? One more spin. What d' you say, Sexy?" The TARDIS gently rumbled in response.

"I know I know. I said one more time before Atlantis, and then we got sidetracked and ended up running from the Judoon and then we were flung through the time vortex and then we were sentenced to death on Raxacoricofallapatorius and then- oh you know," he ranted, realizing he had been to far too many places to list since he had last said, "one more time." The TARDIS rumbled again.

"I don't want to leave you," he whispered, losing his joyous disposition for one filled with more sorrow. He had begun to realize he would relapse into utter despair more frequently than before. "I know it's going to happen, so I might as well have some fun, right? It's just you and me, Sexy. Why not travel the stars? Just one more time. I promise."

All of a sudden the TARDIS roared to life, causing the Doctor to cling on to the nearest railing.

"Atta girl!" he yelled, hopping to his feet to assist with flying.

"ALLONS-Y!"

Stepping outside of his precious blue box, the Doctor took in a deep breath, inhaling the scents around him.

"Earth, late 1960s, New York, around 11 o'clock at night. Late January going by the Gregorian calendar and wait! No! I lied, early 1970s. 1970 itself actually. You foolish little thing you," the Doctor whispered, flicking his own nose. "You're getting old!" Realizing the implications of the statement, his smile wavered for a second. However, soon he was back to his usual jovial self, locking up the TARDIS and giving her an affectionate rub before setting off the street, whistling to himself and looking up at the stars. He knew wherever the TARDIS landed, trouble was never far behind. Or in front of him.

He had quite absentmindedly run into a girl. He allowed his quick reflexes to take over, grabbing on to her before she hit her head against the cold sidewalk. Perfect timing.

_Good girl_, he thought to himself, mentally reminding himself to thank the TARDIS when he returned. This girl practically reeked of adventure.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Hello!"


	9. Side Effects

**Author's Note: Chapter 9! Yay! Almost in the double digits!**

**Sorry it's been taking so long to update, life keeps happening! Crazy, right?**

**No rights for Doctor Who **

**Reviews are wonderful but don't feel obliged!**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Nine: Side Effects**

"What are we after all our dreams, after all our memories?" –_The Notebook_

_**Melly**_

Melly felt her smile fading as her body started to shake uncontrollably. Somewhere in the back of her mind instinct told her it had to do with regeneration side effects.

"Are you okay?" the man in front of her asked, the Doctor. He instinctually lifted the back of his hand to her forehead.

"You're burning up!" he exclaimed, immediately shrugging off his trench coat and wrapping it around her still trembling shoulders.

"Thank…you," Melly managed to spit out through her chattering teeth. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulder to further support her and gently tugged her forward.

"Here, my…house, it isn't far from here, and then we can get you fixed up, okay?" Melly was faintly aware of her legs being propelled forward. However, with each step she felt herself falling further into the oblivious delirium that threatened the corners of her mind. Darkness ws already ebbing its way into the edge of her vision.

"Isn't there…something…about not…going home…with strangers?" Melly asked, managing a weak smile. The pair turned a corner, the Doctor pushing her forward with more urgency now.

"Who says I'm a stranger? I'm the Doctor!"

Hearing his name again, Melly felt the stir of held-back memories once again, like a word on the tip of her tongue. She knew something about this man…she just couldn't remember. All she knew was that it made her feel nauseous.

"Doctor," she whispered, stopping in front of a trash can next to an old, weathered police box. "You might want to step back."

Melly emptied the contents of her stomach- which at the time was nothing. Apparently new stomachs didn't get the old stomach's insides. The feeling was not pleasant, trying to get rid of something that wasn't there. Still, there were worse things in life. A last thought raced through her head before it reeled and went blank. _At least I didn't get vomit all over the Doctor's coat_.

Melly's eyes fluttered open to a warm colored room with a rather tall ceiling. She groaned as the pain from her empty stomach returned. Still, she was happy to discover that she was tucked into a bed with warm covers. Movement in the corner of her eye caused her to turn her head to the side.

The Doctor sat next to her, beaming. It was a little creepy, but in a sweet way. It was good to know at least someone cared about her. Even if it was this strange man.

"Hello Melly," he said, still grinning from ear to ear.

"Hello Doctor," she smiled back. Something about the man's smile was contagious. "Thank you for helping me out. I don't know what came over me."

"Ah, just a nasty old virus I bet. Probably from wearing those rags. They look like they're meant for a five year old!" Melly couldn't help blushing. She tugged at the corner of her too-small jacket under the covers, shifting uncomfortably. Her clothes were pretty small. The Doctor seemed to notice.

"Tell you what, I have a wardrobe in here, let me take a look at you and make sure nothing bad's happened. Then you can go find some new clothes!"

"Take a look? What do you mean?" But even as Melly asked, the Doctor pulled a stethoscope from out of his pocket and placed the metal, warm from being so close to his body, on her collarbone. Melly froze and watched his hands. She remembered her comment from earlier. He _was_ a stranger, in the Big Apple of all places. Creeps were everywhere.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," the Doctor said, looking at her startled expression. He seemed to be able to read her mind. "I'm just trying to help. Promise." His eyes pleaded for her trust. She was surprised at how easily this man became attached.

"Why do you have an accent?" she asked suddenly, narrowing her eyes.

"Visiting," he replied absentmindedly, focusing again on her heartbeat.

"And you have a house this big?" she asked, feeling his story was fishy.

"Well, it's not exactly…a house," he replied, confusion flashing over his face. He pulled at a strange silver rod with a blue light on the end and pointed it at her, moving it up and down.

"Hey! What is that?" Melly asked, shrinking away, but he had already stopped pointing at her and was examining the side of it.

"Sonic screwdriver," he whispered, seeming more interested in his little toy than what was happening with her.

"What's wrong? You look worried? Am I terminal or something?" Melly was starting to worry herself. The Doctor looked up, eyebrows furrowed.

"What? Oh, nothing. You're perfectly normal," he replied, making his goofy smile at her again. "Now what do you say we go find you some clothes?"


	10. Run

**Author's Note: I hope you're enjoying this! I'm realizing now it might get a LOT longer because I keep coming up with these sub-ideas so I'm trying to have lots of shorter chapter rather than a few long ones.**

**If you think Melly is acting un-River like, I'd like to remind you that when Time Lords(/Ladies) regenerate, their personality changes a bit too.**

**I don't own Doctor Who **

**All of these reviews are brilliant! Thank you SO much **** Feel free to leave more, I'm not stopping you ;)**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Ten: Run**

Melly stared up in awe at the vast expanse of the TARDIS' wardrobe collection. The Doctor smiled at her reaction, remembering those of the companions before her. She glanced back at him, her eyes full of excitement.

"Oh go on you!" he insisted, smiling at her and waving his hand in a shooing fashion. "Go explore!" She smiled and raced off into the maze of clothing.

The Doctor's smile fell as she disappeared from sight, returning to his own thoughts. He had read the results from his sonic screwdriver. He had heard it with his own ears. Yet it couldn't be…it was impossible.

"Okay, how on earth did you get all of these clothes?" Melly asked from behind him, shocking him out of his thoughts. "You're not some kind of movie director are you? Because some of these clothes are kind of old," Melly commented, holding up a frilly pink dress with a hoopskirt. He turned around, hand in his pockets, and smiled at her, covering the calculating thoughts within his own head.

"Nah, not really. Just an avid collector," he replied, hoping his lopsided grin would do the trick of making things seem as if they were normal. She just nodded, enraptured in a golden yellow gown. He could see the longing in her eyes.

"The changing rooms are this way if you want to try a few things out," he offered, motioning a bit farther back. She smiled at him and immediately grabbed a couple of outfits to add to the steadfast growing pile in her arms. Then, she ran off in the direction he had pointed.

_She likes to run_, he thought with a smile. With that, he took off after her.

"How do I look?" she asked, twirling out from behind the curtain in a dazzling strapless midnight blue gown. Sequins covered it, reminding the Doctor of the midnight sky. He put on his smile for her beaming face, as he had every time she emerged from the changing room, masking his brooding thoughts.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, hopping up to his feet. She smiled, turning around one more time to watch the fabric swirl around her.

"I suppose it's time I find something practical to wear instead of these ancient ball gowns, huh?" she asked, a look of disappointment on her face as she remembered the fact that these weren't truly her clothes.

"Well," the Doctor replied, scratching the back of his head. "Not if you don't want to, no."

"But I must get going, I'm taking up far too much of your time," she insisted.

"Not really. Not at all actually," he said, deciding this was the right moment.

"You see," he started to explain, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the wardrobe exit. "I have all the time in the world really. I know I said this was my house, and in a way she really is my house, my home." He offered for her to go down the fire pole the TARDIS had recently decided suited their needs better. It got him to places faster, so he wasn't going to complain.

With a smile, Melly slid down and out of the Doctor's sight. Grabbing the pole with one hand, he followed down after her.

Upon reaching the floor of the console where the TARDIS had dropped them off, he continued to explain.

"See, this place is more like a ship. She is a ship really. Her name's the TARDIS, which means- "

"Time and Relative Dimension in Space," Melly cut him off abruptly, staring out of the police box's now open door. "She's a time machine."

"Melly, there's something we need to talk about," the Doctor said, his voice suddenly becoming serious.

"Melly you have two hearts. I took a scan of you with my screwdriver and you're not human." Melly just slowly turned around, and he saw her eyes were full of fear. Fear and something else. Recognition.

"Melly, you're part-"

"Time Lord. You're a Time Lord. You're the Doctor," she answered, eyes glistening with tears ready to spill over any second.

"You're the Doctor, which is why you need to run. Run away from me. Run fast and run far. Just go!" The forcefulness of her voice took the Doctor by surprise. He saw a movement behind Melly and gasped in horror.

"Melly, you've got to run, there's something behind you!" he yelled, looking down to search for his sonic screwdriver. "Melly, you've got to…what was I just saying? I can't remember." Tears flowed freely from Melly's cheeks now, landing on the evening gown she still had on.

"They're here Doctor. I'll be okay, but you have to promise me you'll run. Run and never look back. And whatever you do, don't try to find me."

Melly had backed up so she stood outside the TARDIS now. She closed the doors, never letting her eyes stray from the Doctor's own. The doors closed with a sense of finality.

"No!" he yelled out, running towards the doors, but before he reached them the TARDIS started to hum gently, as if trying to sooth him, and he knew he was in the time vortex, not on a New York street corner.


	11. Silence will Fall

**Author's Note: Chapter Eleven! Yay! This is the first actual legitimate fight scene I've ever written…I think…so I hope it isn't too crappy. The chapter's a bit long…not as long as Chapter One though **

**No rights for Doctor Who **

**Reviews are greatly appreciated, I love feedback!**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Eleven: Silence will Fall**

"Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last." –_I Have A Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World_

_**Melly**_

She first realized something was up when she thought she recognized the room she arrived in after leaving the wardrobe. It was as if she was on the inside of a snow globe, although she couldn't see through the walls. In the center, some complicated-looking circle control panel stood, and in the middle of that there was a long cylinder that seemed to hum.

The humming seemed to call to her, as if singing her a lullaby. She closed her eyes and let a warm smile fill her with happy thoughts. This place felt like home.

She snapped herself out of her feeling of security. She had no parents, at least none she could remember. She was alone in this world. She had to remember that. Nowhere was home.

Feeling drawn towards the door, Melly instinctually walked up to them and threw them open.

Across the street, almost masked in shadows, she saw something…silent.

All of a sudden, memories rushed in. Her sole purpose in life had been to track down the man standing right behind her. Track him down and kill him. Hours of training flooded her head. Blue police boxes. Sonic screwdrivers. _Ponds_. Danger. All signs that the Doctor was near. There was only one thing that didn't make sense in her head.

This man's face was not the Doctor's.

"…TARDIS, which means-"

"Time and Relative Dimension in Space," Melly whispered, realizing with a growing horror that the Silence meant for her to kill this man. This man with the crooked grin and wonderful wardrobe. This man who had saved her, for surely she would have frozen if she had been left outside with the fever.

"She's a time machine," Melly added as an afterthought, realizing now why she had felt the room called to her. For wasn't it said she was a child of the TARDIS? The woman, Kovarian, had always told her she had been a poor soul, parents kidnapped by the Doctor. Kovarian and the Silence had been able to save her, but her parents had perished, killed by the man behind her. How could this man kill? And more importantly, how could she kill this man? It had been easy to think about when he was just the man who had slaughtered her parents. But now? Melly felt herself torn.

Melly slowly turned to face this man, making sure she found a reflective surface to keep an eye on the Silence behind her. If she lost sight of them she would forget. She knew this much. Still, she wanted to look the man in the eye. Maybe that would help her decide. Except he wasn't really a man, was he?

"Timelord. You're a Timelord. You're the Doctor." Melly tried to search those eyes for anything, making sure to see the Silence reflected in his pupils. All she saw was an overwhelming amount of sadness. This was not how she imagined the Doctor. She had seen him in her mind's eye as a man full of rage and anger. Ready to kill a whole fleet with the snap of his fingers.

What she saw in the Doctor's eyes was an unbelievable amount of pain. She found herself in agony, looking into those eyes. So many lost. Her own eyes brimmed with tears. She couldn't kill this man.

"You're the Doctor, which is why you need to run. Run away from me. Run fast and run far. Just go!" Melly yelled.

The Doctor suddenly gasped, starting to warn her of things behind her. The Silence must have heard her act of rebellion, as she saw them slowly making their way across the street. The Doctor looked down to search for his screwdriver, and his connection was lost. He forgot. Still, Melly didn't have much time.

"They're here Doctor. I'll be okay, but you have to promise me you'll run. Run and never look back. And whatever you do, don't try to find me," Melly commanded, slowly inching her way back so she stood outside of the TARDIS, the place she could have called home. The whole time she kept her eyes focused on the Silence, miniature images in the Doctor's sad eyes. Fat tears hit the dress. Knowing if she didn't do it now, she wouldn't ever, Melly shut the doors.

She wheeled around quickly, before she could lose sight of the Silence. She backed up against the TARDIS.

"You take him somewhere safe, you hear?" Melly whispered, and the TARDIS started to hum. She stepped forwards, rage slowly growing within her.

"Give a message to Kovarian for me, will you?" Melly asked, slowly slipping her heels off. She bent down to pick them up.

"Her favorite weapon just turned against her. So I suggest one thing. _Run_."

Melly threw one heel, hitting the nearest Silence straight between the eyes. It crumpled to the floor. She turned on her heel and lashed out with her other foot, kicking another in the stomach. She was silently glad that this body knew how to fight. Taking a running leap, she tackled a third Silence and pummeled it with her fists. In the corner of her eye she saw the last two starting to build an energy field. Somersaulting away from the bloody body underneath her, she barely escaped the first bolt. Running with a guttural cry, she threw her second heel.

Her eyes widened as she realized she missed. She could have dealt with one of them with their energy, but two was going to be difficult. On top of that, the one she had kicked in the stomach was climbing back to its feet. Still, she hurdled forward, hitting one Silence with her head, effectively knocking it to the ground. She smiled at that move.

She scooped up the heel from the ground and started maniacally stabbing at the other Silence with the stiletto. Her emotions were taking over her fighting, and it was no longer cold and calculating. Now it was pent up anger. Anger at never being able to meet her mother. Anger at being kept in that terrifying orphanage. Anger at being locked in the space suit.

The Silence in front of her finally fell, but not before releasing a bolt into her side. She screamed. The pain was agonizing, but not meant to kill. They couldn't lose their most prized possession. Still, there must have been something in it, as she felt her sight begin to go blurry. She fought the urge to fall over and curl up in a ball. The one leftover Silence was walking in her direction now. She threw the shoe at it and then ran. It was time to run.


	12. Pain

**Author's Note: Sorry it's taken so long to update, finals are next week (we're in trimesters) so our teachers have decided that giving homework this week will make it easier for us next week. Except they all decided that :P**

**Belated Happy Valentine's Day! **** 3**

**I don't own Doctor Who **

**Reviews are ALWAYS welcome!**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Twelve: Pain**

"You have wakened not out of sleep, but into a prior dream, and that dream lies within another, and so on, to infinity, which is the number of grains of sand. The path that you are to take is endless, and you will die before you have truly awakened." –_Jorge Luis Borges_

_**Melly**_

After running for what felt like forever, Melly forced herself to come to a stop. She couldn't remember exactly why it was she was running, just that there was a terrible pain in her abdominal region.

Pulling to a stop, she leaned against a post, trying not to double over from the pain. She winced and held her stomach.

She had left that strange man. The Doctor. He had been so nice to her and now he was gone. Why would she leave him? She regretted leaving the warmth of his strange house if nothing else, and absentmindedly hugged her arms to conserve heat.

That's when she saw it. On the back of her hand, something was wrong. Five tally marks were frantically scratched into the skin, blood caking at the edges.

_Silence_. The word hit her like a slap. She stood there, stunned, finally realizing what was wrong. She would never be able to remember everything of what had happened in the past half hour or so, the Silence always made things hazy, like a dream. The more she tried to remember, the farther away the memory seemed to be.

She closed her eyes and let herself relax, using a technique Kovarian had taught her. She hadn't been able to conjure full-on memories from Silence encounters yet, but she was fairly good at being able to remember her general thoughts and emotions. The one thing that stood out distinctly was her resolve to keep the Doctor safe. She puzzled over this choice in her head, wondering why exactly she had made a decision with such heavy repercussions, for surely it meant a life on the run from the Silence, and another round of brainwashing and torture if she was caught. Still, the decision had been made and she guessed she had already provoked the Silence. Why else would she have been running?

Knowing as much as she could fish out about her lost memories, she opened her eyes. That was another thing she hated about the Silence. Her memories had so many holes in it. Kovarian had told her that once she killed the Doctor, she would award her with all of the moments in life she had lost. Melly doubted if this was even possible, and wasn't sure if she _wanted _to remember. What kind of things had happened to her when she was under their hypnosis? What kind of things had she done?

Melly shuddered at the thought, pushing the post to stand up straight. She needed to keep moving. She stumbled at first, now realizing her stomach pain must have come from the Silence. Her bare feet- where had her shoes gone?- shuffled on the cold wet pavement. She hunched her shoulders, her body trying to compensate for the cold.

A faint rumbling noise made Melly turn her head. She never remembered what the Silence sounded like, or if they even made noises, so everything was making her jumpy. However, it was just a white van turning on to the street. She returned to her labored walking, trudging along little by little. She had to find a place to sleep for the night, and soon. Her body was giving out on her, succumbing to exhaustion.

Just then, a strange thing happened. Time seemed to slow as the seemingly inconspicuous van pulled to a screeching halt next to Melly. She turned to see the back doors slide open, revealing masked men. As they started to climb out of the vehicle, Melly realized what was happening, seeing a glint of a knife in one man's hand. She took off at a run, feet pounding on the ground. She could hear the heavy thud of boots behind her, but they seemed muffled, as if she was underwater.

Suddenly she felt a jarring pain. Her head flew back as someone grabbed on to her long hair and pulled it towards them. She let out a cry of agony, then grabbed behind her, finding the man's body and using momentum to fling him over her back, on to the ground. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. She winced as her side protested in pain, knowing that her flight option had been removed. That left her with one choice: to fight.

She whirled around, thrusting her foot out to contact with another man's chest. He was fairly light and the force of her leg caused him to fall back on to his butt. Had she not been in so much danger, she would have laughed. Instead, she ducked as a third man threw a punch at her, looping her leg around his and pulling it into her chest, causing his knees to buckle. She jumped back, careful to not let the falling man land on her. She took a gasp of breath as her side seemed to scream out in pain. Not letting the pain paralyze her, she ran forward and brought the last man's skull to her knee. It made a sickening sound, and he crumpled. The men in front of her incapacitated, she turned around to run again.

Instead she was met with a large hand pressing into her face. Surprised, it took her a moment to react. The hand held some kind of soaked rag. She tried to pull back away from it, but the man's other hand had snaked around her head and held it in place. She hadn't realized how large he was when she had first flipped him.

She lashed out, trying to move his arms but they stayed in place. Attempting to get away from his grips, she pulled all of her body weight toward the ground, but still the cloth stayed in front of her mouth and nose. Now frantically flailing, Melly realized her vision was starting to blur and her limbs didn't pack as much punch. Her brain seemed to slow and she found it was a struggle to keep awake. Even the pain in her side seemed to dull, and with one last kick to the man's face, she felt her legs give way underneath her, buckling.

The man threw her over his shoulder and ran to the back of the van. She considered thrashing and screaming, but found that her brain could no longer command her limbs. Then she was falling backwards, being tossed into the back of the car. Her head hit the floor and everything went dark.


	13. Giggles in the Dark

**Author's Note: Hello! Sorry it took me so long to update, I had these atrocious things called FINALS (which I probably should be studying for…heh)**

**Anyway, Chapter Thirteen here we are. This one's a little…disturbing I guess you could say. I SWEAR I'm not some kind of crazy psychopathic serial killer who likes to torture little animals or anything. The chapter just kind of…happened…**

**I still don't know what's taking Moffat so long to give me Doctor Who rights….but until then…**

**Anyway I hope you…enjoy this chapter? I guess? Or are totally freaked out. Whichever you prefer.**

**Feel free to comment or review **

**Chapter Thirteen: Giggles in the Dark**

_"I have dreamt in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind. And this is one: I'm going to tell it - but take care not to smile at any part of it." –Wuthering Heights_

_**Melly**_

It was cold. So cold. Why was it so frigid? What happened? Where was she?

Melly's eyes snapped open as she remembered the white van. Her head pounded, most likely an after effect of whatever drug had knocked her out.

She was strapped down to a cold metal table. Not again. Last time she had been able to break free of the astronaut suit's bonds, but for whatever reason she couldn't even loosen the multiple leather belts. Still, she struggled, because what else could she do?

Scanning the room for any possible means of escape, she realized most of it was shrouded in darkness. An eerie lamp hung above the table she was on, illuminating her body and a short area of floor. She realized the Doctor's dress had been removed, and she was now clothed in a white nightgown of sorts.

With every second, Melly became more and more worried about her situation. Her struggle against her bonds became more urgent as she realized how dire the situation was.

A child's laugh came out of the darkness, causing Melly to freeze. Something about the noise was off. She felt an involuntary shiver travel down her spine, chilling her to the bone.

"Struggling won't work," a shrill voice called out of the darkness, followed by another fit of giggles. Melly strained to see what lay beyond the ring of light. The voice sounded like that of a little girl, but Melly knew that sounds could be deceiving.

"Marzena," a deep voice warned. So there were at least two of them. A young girl and a large man, if Melly's ears served correctly. She hoped that was it, although she knew there were at least five kidnappers who had brought her here.

"What's going on? Who are you?" Melly asked, forcing the panic out of her voice. She needed to stay calm, and not let her captors know how scared she really was.

"You're my newest present!" the girl, Marzena, replied with another wicked giggle. Was it necessary for all children to have such a menacing laugh?

"Don't scare the girl," the other voice boomed. Melly rolled her eyes.

"Right. So strapping me to a surgical table after kidnapping me isn't going to scare the average person," she replied caustically. Still, the girl's comment struck another chilling chord. Present? For what?

"Would you mind telling me what kind of present I am? I mean, I know I'm pretty spectacular and all, but really, you didn't need to kidnap me if you wanted a play date, little child. And you certainly didn't need to tie me up," Melly commented, trying to glean as much information as possible. Hopefully the sarcasm would hide her ulterior motives and it would just seem like she was giving lip. Or even if that didn't work, maybe she could bother the duo into giving up important details.

"Silly, I don't want to play with you, I want to play _with_ you," the girl giggled, again sending chills through Melly. What was the difference?

The girl stepped into the pool of light just then, revealing her features. She was petite, maybe eight or nine, and had skin so pale it was almost ashen. Her chestnut hair fell in tight curls to her shoulders. She wore a red girly dress, matched with a red bow on top of her head. She looked like a porcelain doll.

The most disconcerting thing to Melly though was Marzena's eyes. They were devoid of any warmth, and they caused goose bumps to run up and down Melly's arms. There was something wrong with the girl, no question.

The man followed behind her like a shadow. His skin was dark enough when compared to Marzena's pale body he probably could be her shadow. In fact, he seemed to contrast her in almost every way. Towering above her petite frame, Melly could almost see his ripped muscles through his suit, which looked like it should be worn at a charity ball, not to babysit the young child. He reeked of security, and Melly wondered if he worked for an intelligence agency, but quickly eliminated that theory. The man was most likely a freelancer, a rogue. This made him that much more dangerous. There were no moral restrictions when you were your own boss.

The man dragged some strange contraption on wheels behind him. A plush cot took up the majority of the space. A helmet-like object sat where a pillow should be, and strange wires connected to the helmet disappeared into the darkness. The cords had a strange sheen to them, as if they were secreting some kind of mucus. The result was a pallid green, gross snake-looking extension. The sight made Melly's stomach turn. What kind of horrible thing was the thing made for?

She voiced her question out loud. "What is that?" Panic had started to rise in her throat like bile. The little girl released her malicious cackle once more. The man responded with a warning look.

"Relax, child. It won't hurt…much."

With that comment he grabbed a free cord and brought it towards Melly. She returned to her frantic struggling, anything to get her away from the _thing_. As the man came closer, Melly saw he had a strange expression on his face. Almost like…pity.

Melly resolved one thing in her head in that instant. If she was going down, she was going down with dignity. She stopped struggling, straightening her body, and looked the man straight in the eyes.

"Give me your best shot."


	14. Sipping Tea

**Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long guys!**

**I was sick (AKA delirious,) then overwhelmed with homework, then busy with dance stuff, then I had Writer's Block (I'm accrediting this to an unnamed book I'm reading currently that is not very well written to put it mildly.)**

**BUT ENOUGH WITH EXCUSES! I'M BACK!**

**Once again, I don't own Who **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's a little creepy again. Feel free to comment or review.**

**Peace, Love, ALLONS-Y!**

**Chapter Fourteen: Sipping Tea**

"People think dreams aren't real just because they aren't made of matter, of particles. Dreams are real. But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns and lost hopes." –_Neil Gaiman_

_**Melly**_

Melly woke up on a cold stone floor. She winced, the last bits of her headache still remaining. The last thing she remembered was the big man putting the cord in her ear. She shivered at the thought. It had been cold and slimy, and something had hurt like hell. She rubbed where it had been, pulling her hand back in surprise. It wasn't there anymore. There was nothing, not even blood.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, looking around. She was in a perfectly circular room, walled in with stone. She couldn't see any possible entrances or exits; there were no windows or trap doors, either on the ceiling or the floor. Standing up, she pushed the panic that had been building in her stomach since the van down her throat once more. She wouldn't let it take over, not now.

The one anomaly in the whole room was a small square window. A bright light shined in from the outside, preventing her from seeing what lay beyond the room. Hopping up, she quickly crossed over to it. Maybe that was how she got into the foul place. She peered her head outside.

Her head spun and she felt herself stumble away from the window. _No way_. Outside the window, about 15 feet down, a cloud encompassed the tower she was standing in. She was in a _tower_. Backing away slowly from the wretched window, she began to search for a way out. They had to have put her in here somehow. Her eyes scoured the walls, desperate now. Falling to her knees, she started pushing on the individual stones. There had to be a trap door, or something.

A chilling laugh made her stop. Marzena. She looked up, confused. She was alone in her tall prison.

Or so she thought. She was now in a warm-colored room, filled to the brim with luxury.

"Marzena, what's going on?" she demanded, looking into the little girl's dead eyes.

"We're having tea," Marzena explained cheerily, picking up a tea pot and gingerly pouring the steaming substance into a small teacup. She had yet another lavish dress on, and Melly realized that she too was wearing something new. A pale green dress tightly corseted her waist, then pooled around her legs in reams of fabric. White gloves went up just past the crook of her elbow and her hair was pinned up except for a few stray curls.

"Marzena this is ridiculous. What is going on?" Melly asked, quickly losing patience. She went to stand up, but an unseen force seemed to thrust her back down, causing her dress to fan out around her.

"Marzena," Melly growled, truly upset now.

"Sugar?" the girl replied with an innocent smile, gracefully moving her hands to rest on the sugar bowl.

"I'm not having tea with you Marzena," Melly replied, attempting to get up again only to be shoved down again.

"But of course you're having tea," Marzena giggled, pouring sugar into both teacups. Melly cringed at the amount of sugar added.

"No, I'm not," Melly responded, her tone now threatening. Marzena's smile dropped.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Melly. I'd much prefer the easy way if I were you," Marzena sighed, pouring cream into both cups. Melly froze.

"How do you know my name, Marzena?" she asked, fear threatening to overcome her resolve to stay calm.

"I know many things about you, Melly," Marzena whispered, bringing the tea to her lips and taking a dainty sip. Feeling cornered, Melly went to stand a third time.

This time was different, though. No unseen force drove her to the ground again. She smiled to herself, proud she was able to overcome whatever obstacle it was that Marzena had put in place.

Then something strange happened. She went to move for the door, but her legs stayed put. Grunting, she tried to move them again, but they seemed to be stuck, as if glued to the floor.

"Now will you come drink tea with me?" Marzena asked, offering up cup and saucer. Melly glared down at her and continued to struggle.

"I can't exactly move my legs, Marzena, I don't think sitting down for tea is going to happen," she growled. Marzena replied with another spine-chilling giggle.

"Are you sure about that?" Melly flew forward as her momentum released her from whatever entrapment her legs had been in. Sprawled on the floor, she winced, but quickly pushed herself up and ran for the door with all her might.

"Ah ah!" Marzena scolded, and Melly found herself once more unable to move. Frozen in space, her limbs didn't seem to get any signals from her brain.

"One last chance to come drink tea with dignity," Marzena commented, and Melly found herself capable of moving once more. She turned around to face the strange girl, resolve hardening her eyes.

"Tell me what's going on, and I'll come and drink your nasty tea with you," Melly offered, her voice hardening.

"Oh, it's not nasty," Marzena laughed, taking a sip from her own cup. "I suppose you should know, although I don't really need to tell you in order to get you to drink the tea." Marzena beckoned for Melly. "Come, I'll explain while we drink our tea. No need to be so hostile." Melly hesitated, not sure what to do. A light invisible shove from behind her made prompted her to make her way to the cliché little setup.

"That's a good girl, Melly. Or should I call you Melody?" Melly froze, awkwardly in between standing and sitting. She slowly lowered herself down, eyeing Marzena.

"Melly would be best, thanks. Melody was another life." She picked up her saucer and hesitantly wrapped her fingers around the teacup handle, absentmindedly checking the temperature of the cup with the back of her knuckles. A bit hot, but not unbearable.

"And you, Marzena? I don't suppose you have a nickname you would prefer?" Melly asked, attempting to be cordial so as not to upset the girl. Still, she couldn't hold back all of the bitterness in her voice and it bled into her attempt to stay neutral.

"Zena if you like. Or Mal," the girl offered up. Melly nodded and took a hesitant sip of the tea, trying not to grimace as the sickeningly-sweet substance ran over her tongue. She quickly swallowed so as to get rid of the vile liquid, unfortunately realizing it had an equally nasty aftertaste.

"Mal? Seems a strange name considering you have no L in your name," she commented, looking to see if there was any food to get rid of the horrible lingering tang that the tea provided.

"Old TV show I used to watch. Captain Mal. My sister and I used to- but that's not important is it? I suppose I should explain your situation," Mal offered up, scooting a tray of biscuits Melly had been eyeing longingly. She nodded and grabbed one, using all her willpower to not devour the thing.

"You're in my dream, Melly." Melly dropped her half-eaten biscuit and coughed in surprise.

"You're bloody joking," she laughed, looking at Mal. Her stoic face startled Melly.

"I'm afraid not, Melody Pond. I won't go over all of the technicalities, but you're hooked up to a machine that has you in a coma-like state." Melly's mind drifted to the strange contraption that the horrible cord had been inserted in her ear.

"You're not actually _physically_ here, but your mind is here. I control everything that happens while here as it is my dream, so I suggest you do what I tell you to. Because even though your body isn't truly here, if anything…bad happens to you your mind will make your physical body emit those same symptoms," Marzena stated matter-of-factly.

"What, so if you cut my arm off," Melly laughed again, not believing the ridiculous scenario Marzena was offering up.

"Your brain will reject your actual arm, and it will fall off," Mal replied, sipping tea once more. Melly shook her hair, her stray curls loosely bouncing.

"I can also control how your mind perceives this world, make your muscles freeze or act without your consent," Mal commented, placing her cup and saucer down. "Basically, you're my prisoner. So I would behave if I were you."

"Why aren't you controlling me now then? If that's what I am to you, a play toy, why not just use me?" Melly asked, voice becoming bitter once more. She wasn't sure if she bought everything Mal said, and she was curious to see if the girl could prove her statement.

"I prefer to play with free will in the cards. A bit more fun. Especially the new ones. They're the best, they think they have a chance," Mal laughed, a cruel, malicious cackle.

"You've done this to other people?" Melly asked, horror crossing over her face.

"No, I'm _doing_ this to other people. Don't worry, you'll get to meet them soon. I think you'll like some of them," Mal commented, smiling sweetly. Melly found her smile as sickening as the quickly-cooling tea.

"And when you're not asleep?" Melly asked.

"Oh, you've been there already. I believe your first stage is the tower, yes? This place might be my dream. But when you're not here, you get to live in your worst nightmare."


End file.
